Tawanchai wants to see Rodtang-Superlek rematch at bantamweight: “Both of them seem to have a problem making weight”

ONE featherweight Muay Thai world champion and pound-for-pound great Tawanchai PK Saenchai recently spoke about the era-defining bout between Rodtang Jitmuangnon and Superlek Kiatmoo9 at ONE Friday Fights 34 just two weeks ago.

Rodtang, who holds the ONE flyweight Muay Thai world title, faced ONE flyweight kickboxing king Superlek in a three-round non-title bout for the ages.

Although the two produced one of the most exciting and dramatic bouts we've seen in years, most observers assessed that two more rounds would have been appropriate for the two once-in-a-lifetime fighters.

The reason why the bout wasn't the original five-round world title bout for Rodtang's belt was the fact that Superlek failed to make weight. Thus, the bout was converted into a three-round bout.

Though Rodtang made weight for the fight, he himself have struggled to meet the 135-pound requirement for the weight class in the past. To this, Tawanchai had a simple solution if ever the two have a rematch.

He told ONE:

"Both of them deserve to win. They did their best throughout the three rounds. The truth is, I came to this event because I wanted to watch this match at the ringside. And I think there should be a rematch. But the rematch should be in the bantamweight division. Because both of them seem to have a problem making weight to fit their current weight class."

Tawanchai posed an interesting idea here. Though the potential rematch, if fought at bantamweight (145 pounds), will be another three-round match, the winner could very well get a shot at that division's world champion.

You got Jonathan Haggerty, whom Rodtang beat twice in the past, ruling over the ONE bantamweight Muay Thai ranks. The division's kickboxing throne is yet to be secured as Haggerty will face ONE bantamweight MMA world champion Fabricio Andrade for it at ONE Fight Night 16.

As for Tawanchai, the Thai phenom is slated for a three-round kickboxing bout with Jo Nattawut at ONE Fight Night 15 this Friday at the historic Lumpinee Boxing Stadium. The event will also feature two world title bouts across different martial arts.

The entire fight card will air live in US primetime free of charge for Prime Video subscribers in the United States and Canada.